Door hinge



A. FOLTIS DOOR HINGE Jan. 16, 1951 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 Al FOLTIS Jan. 16, 1951 DOOR HINGE Filed Feb. l1, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets- Sheet 3 ATTORNEY A. F OLTlS DOOR HINGE Jan. 16, 1951 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 A. FOLTIS DOOR HINGE Jan. 16, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 K ATTORNEY I l'I-I Patented Jan. 16, v1951 UNITED STATES @PATENT OFFICE Doon HINGE Anestis rinitis, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Appiication February 11, 1947', Serial No. 727,823

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My invention is an improved hinge for doors and the like, supported toturn about vertical axes; and especially a hinge for actuating a door to swing to closed position after it has been opened.

|Zihe principal object of the' inventionis to provide a hinge containing means for storing up energy when the door, for example, which it mounts is swung to one side; and to expend this energy toY impel the door in the opposite direction as'soon as it is released; the hinge comprising parts to venclose a body of air acting as a pneumatic cush ion, for retarding the reverse motion of the door and thus render the closing soft,slow and noiseless.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hinge of this type that is simple in its construction, certain and efficient in operation; and embracing relatively fewl parts, so that it can be easily produced at relatively low manufacturing cost.

The character of the invention is described in the following specication, and the novel features are deiined in the appended claims. This disclosure, however, sets forth only the best forms of the invention now known to me, and numerous changes may be made in practice without de- Viating from the principle of the invention, or omitting any of the essential and distinctive features thereof;

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a hinge according to this invention in operative position.

'a modification.

Figure 9 is a fronty elevation of the same.

Figure 10 is a vertical section on line {iT- I0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section on line I f-i i of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is' a view of this modification with the parts in the same relative' positions as on Figure 7.

2. Figures 13, 14 and 15V are sectional' details'v of more modications ofthe structure of the hinge. Figure 16 is a top view similar to Figure l of another embodiment of the' invention, and Figure l''is a iront elevation of the same.

Figure 18 is a section on line I'8-I8' of Figure 16.

Figure 19'r shows this particular hinge with the partsV distended andthe parts seen in outside elevation.

Figure 20- shows the same hinge with the two lsides distended and the internal parts in sec'- tion.

Figure 2l is a front elevation of an additional modification of the hinge of this invention.

Figure 22 is a View of the hinge of Figure 21 showing the parts in vertical section.

Figure 23 is a viewV of' the hinge of Figure 21, seen from the right of' the plane of the line Figure 24' shows this hinge in the same plane, but with the parts in vertical section,

Figure 25 is a view of the hinge of Figure 21 with the parts distended in the same-way as on tween the bearings 2, and 2, as presented in Figures l to 7. The bearing i is made i'ntegral'with a fia-t leaf 3, to which it is united near the midvdle of one edge; and similarly the bearings 2 and 2 of the other half are united to one edge ofr a.

leafv 4. The leaf 3 issecured to the inside face of the frame or jamb 5 of a doorway, window yopening or the like, and the leaf i of the other half is similarly ai'xed to the edge of the door, lwindow orother member 6, which is to be mounted by means of said' hinges. A part of the wall 'containing the doorway or window opening, is

indicated by the numeral 'l'. Both the leaves `3 and- :i nt in-to recesses on the adjacent faces of the frame 5 and member 6, so as toA be ush with 'these faces when secured in position. When the ldoorV or' window is closed' the two halves of the hinge are in the position indicated in FiguresI 1 'and 2; and when the door orwindow is.- opened,

the two halves of the hinge are unfolded ordis-- tended, as indicated in Figures 6 and 7. Inside the bearings I` and 2 and 2 is a tubular element 8 which, among other things, serves the same purpose as a hinge pin and connects the two halves of the hinge in pivoted relation. This element 8 can turn freely in the sections or bearings 2 and 2', but it is anchored and held rigid with respect to the bearing I by a binding screw 9. The element 8 is in the form of a hollow tubular casing and also serves as a pump cylinder within which is a piston or plunger I0, which is in the lower half of the element 8. In the upper end of the element 8 is a head II connected to the piston Il) by a rod I2, the outer extremity of the head I I having a projecting rim I Ia, which abuts the top of the element 8 when the leaves of the hinge are folded together, and the door is closed. The stem I2 may be integral with the head II and screwed into a threaded bore in the piston IEI. In the side of the head II is affixed a stud or screw I3 which projects out through a longitudinal slot I4 on one side of the element 8; and

this stud or screw head I3 is also received in a spiral or inclined cam slot I5 in the upper bearing '2'. Hence, whenever the two halves of the hinge are turned on the element E as a journal, the slot I5 will cause thehead Il and piston le to move axially within the element E and this movement will carry the pin I3 lengthwise in the slot I4.

Adjacent the upper end of the bearing I the element 8 has an inside collar ta through which the rod I2 passes. The plunger I@ may be encircled by a pair of packing rings Ita in grooved seats formed in the piston IE! so that the latter has a leak-proof t in the casing 8. Between the piston IU and the flange 8a, the stem I2 is encircled by a spiral compression spring I3. The lower end of the element 8 is closed by a screw cap 8b, that has a recess Il terminating at the inner end in a cone-shaped seat for a ball valve I8, which is heid against the seat by a suitable spring I9 retained in the recess Il in any suitable manner. Communicating with the seat is a duct or passage 2), by which air can enter the casing 8 when the piston Il) is lifted.

When the door 6, for example, is opened as by revolving counterclockwise in Figure l, or to the right in Figure 2, the one half of the hinge is turned so that the bearings 2 and 2 and leaf I revolve with respect to the bearing Iz and the slot I5 in the bearing 2 lifts the piston IIB and head Il by reason of its action on the stud I3, which is free to slide upward in the straight slot i4 in the side of the element 3. While the piston is thus being lifted the spring I6 is compressed; and the ball valve I3 is unseated and air passes through the port 2U into the lower part of the element S below the piston IIl. When the door is released the spring I impels the piston downward, and the action of the stud I3 on the lower y'inclined edge of the cam slot I5 now causes the two halves or leaves 3 and of the hinge to turn towards folded position and swing the door shut. This operation is brought about very slowly, be-

`cause valve I8 is now closed and the air trapped in the lower part of the element 8 serves as a cushion or dashpot, resisting the downward niofif desired. The door thus closes easily and without slamming.

The flat leaves 3 and 4 of the hinge can be secured to the side of the frame and the door or g window by screws or the like, as shown at 21.

In Figures 8 to 12 inclusive, the leaf 4 of one of the halves aixed to the member 5 is shown as having a ridge or rib 2a along the outer edge, and at the two extremities of the ridge the leaf 4 has bearing rings 2c and 2d at its ends. The leaf 3 of the other half has a bearing I that takes the place of the tubular element 8 and is substantially the same length as the leaf 4 and is connected to the leaf 4 by-means of the bearings 2c and 2d. This bearing I has the longitudinal slot I4 at its upper end for the stud or screw I3 aixed to the head I I; and the rib 2a of the hinge has a projection 2b adjacent the top which curves around the outside of the bearing I and bears the cam slot I5 to engage the outer extremity of the stud I3. The inside of the bearing I has the shoulder 8a. The top of the bearing I' engages the bearing 2c directly; this bearing 2c being bent inward, and the lower end of the bearing I is above the bearing 2d, but is threaded to yreceive the cap Ia. The latter is received in the bearing 2d and has a rim 3b that abuts the lower edge of the bearing Zd. The action of this hinge is the same as that of the first form. When the door or the like is closed, the hinge is in folded position with the stud I3 at the lower ends of the slots Sil and I5, as shown in Figures 8, 9 and l0. las the door is opened the parts of the hinge are moved towards the position shown in Figure l2, the stud i3 being forced upward by the cam slot I5, and moving along the slot Id to lift the piston in the bearing I on its suction stroke. When the door is released the spring I2 returns the hinge and the door to original position, and the piston le is cushioned as before by the air between the piste-n and the lower closure cap 8a.

In Figure l2 the plane of section is in the surfaces of the leaves 3 and 4 in contact with the parts 5 and '3, these surfaces being presented to the observer.

In Figure i3 the ball valve I8 is located in the closure plug 5c, in the same way as before, but this plug Se islcnger and has a smaller chamber 2S@ connected to the recess Il' by the duct 28 and to the outer air by ducts 2Q. The duct 253 at the chamber a has an enlarged opening to cooperate with a pointed screw 22. which regulates the passage of the air through this plug.

In Figure 14 the piston III is shown with a recess Ila having a conical seat for the ball valve IS; and the part of the recess Ila beyond the seat of the valve IS is extended and communicates with the space around the rod I2 through ducts I'Ib. The cap ed, which is screwed into the journal I', has a small opening 25D, and this cap is engaged by the bearing ring 2d of the leaf 4. The valve I3 is arranged to t loosely on its seat, as does the valve I8, in the form shown in Figures l to 6 inclusive, so that air can pass this valve both ways.

In Figure 15 the piston is shown as having the same construction as in Figure 14, carrying the ball valve, but the plug or cap 8e is the same as in Figure 13 only shorter; an air chamber 20a, a port 2E! connecting it with the interior space below the piston, ducts 23' to connect the chamber to the outer air, and an adjustable metering pin or screw 22 to control the passage of air through this cap. v

`In the embodimentof Figures 16 to 20 inclusive, the leaf aiifixed to the dcor has a lower bearing 2e and an upper bearing 2f; and the leaf 3 has a single bearing I with its lower end separated from the bearing 2e when the door is shut.

The hollow journal 8 is xed inthe bearing I;

and the lower end of the bearing 2f has a cam edge I5a engaging a corresponding cam edge I5b on the upper edge of the bearing I. The head II has the stud I3 projecting through a vertical slot I3 in the journal 8 and into a straight hori When the door is opened, the cam action of the l edges I5b and I5c cause the bearings 2f and 2e to move upward so as to lift the door 6. The piston I draws air in through the closure 8b. When the door is released, it will close by gravity, with the cam edge Ib sliding along the downward inclined part of the cam edge I5c. The air in the journal 8 now serves as a cushion. No spring is necessary in the journal 8.

In the form illustrated in Figures 21 to 26, the bearings I and 2 on the leaves 4 and 3 respectively are the same as indicated in Figures 1 to 7; but the upper bearing 2g of the leaf 4 has an upper cam edge I5d. The head II has a cam projection IIb overlapping the top of the journal 8 and engaging the cam edge I5d. The piston and Valve con# struction i's the same as depicted on Figures 3 and 7 for instance, but the stem I2 connecting the piston to the head I I is square or polygonal, and the hole in the web 8a is shaped to prevent the rod I2 and head I I from turning. When the door is opened, the head II and piston are actuated to draw air in through the valve controlled opening 20, the head being lifted to the position shown in Figure 25. This View is of the same character as Figure 20, presenting the same faces of the leaves The door however, is not has means for pivotally encircling said journal at f the opposite ends thereof, a piston movable in said journal and held against turning therein,

cam means carried by said other half to engage and move the piston, a spring in said journal to oppose the movement of the piston, a head conected to the piston and having a projecting rim abutting and closing one end of the journal When the piston is retracted by the spring, a cap closing the other end of the journal, and means in the cap for admitting air to said journal.

2. A hinge construction comprising two halves one of which carries a hollow cylindrical rigidly mounted journal and the other has means for pivotally encircling said journal at the opposite ends thereof; a movable piston in said journal, the latter having a straight slot and the piston a fixed stud projecting into said slot so that the piston can be moved lengthwise but is held against turning, cam means carried by the other half to engage and move the piston, a head connected to the piston and having a projecting rim abutting and closing one end of the journal when the -piston is retracted, a cap closing the other end of the. journal and means in the cap for admitting air to the journal.

3. The hinge construction according to claim 2 wherein the means for encircling the journal comprises rings carried by the other half, and the cam means comprises a part between said rings with a cam slot therein.

4. The hinge construction according to claim 2 in which the one half carries a hollow bearing with the journal therein and the other half has a bearing and the cam means comprises abutting inclined edges on said bearings.

5. The hinge construction according to claim 2 in which the one half carries a bearing with the journal therein and the other half carries a bearing encircling said journal, and the cam means comprises an inclined edge on said lastnamed bearing and a cam projection on said head.

ANESTIS FOLTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

